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Yuvraj was his expressive self: Kohli after RCB win

04:09

New Delhi: After Royal Challengers Bangalore's thumping eight-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils courtesy Yuvraj Singh's 29-ball 52*, captain Virat Kohli reminded everybody that Yuvraj, who received a lot of flak for his ball-sapping innings in the World T20 final against Sri Lanka in Bangladesh earlier this month, is a proven match-winner. Kohli combined with Yuvraj for an unbeaten 84-run stand for the third wicket as RCB opened their IPL 7 campaign in style chasing down 145 in 16.4 overs at Sharjah on Thursday night. During the post-match presentation Kohli, 25, spoke in favour of the 32-year-old Yuvraj.

"It is sad how people targeted him [Yuvraj] after the World Cup [World T20], honestly. He has won us two World Cups and he is a proven match winner. We all look up to him and it is important to back someone like that who has won you so many games, and today was just another day where he was his expressive self," he said.

"I just told him I am gonna bat through and you play the way you want to, and if he plays like that it is a joy to watch".

Kohli was also all praise for his bowlers for restricting DD to 145 for 4, especially Man-of-the-Match legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal who bowled miserly for figures of 1 for 18.

"It was easily a 170 track and to restrict them to 145 was a commendable effort. Our bowlers did really well especially, Chahal. Varun [Aaron] too did a good job and Mitch [Mitchell Strac] as well coming in to his first game. Albie [Morkel] was also brilliant with the ball. [Ashok] Dinda had an off day but that happens in T20 cricket. Overall am happy with the performance," Kohli said.

Coming into bat at 6 for 1, Kohli himself looked in good touch and scored 49* after being dropped twice in one over. "If those where mishits, they would not have gone to the fielder's hands. I was just was getting used to the pace of the wicket. It is a good phase I am right now in. Hopefully, I will be able to help the team in the coming matches as well," he said.

Meanwhile, DD stand-in skipper Dinesh Karthik admitted that his team lacked in all three departments. "We didn't bat well enough, though [Ross] Taylor and [JP] Duminy had a great partnership. RCB batted well, and kept playing their shots and it was ordinary fielding from us and we were never in the game," he said.

"Obviously it was the first game of the season, and we are kind of getting used to who can bowl at what stages. It is Important for us to learn fast as a team, otherwise it is not going to be good news for us. Important for us to sit back see what we can do better and come back hard next game," he added.